Say Your Prayers
by Dashed
Summary: Zombies have came to Karakura town. Now they must all put aside the differences and stand together if are to survive. They may find or lose their loved ones in this nightmare battle. Read the warning inside.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach despite my many wishes

WARNING: this story will contine scenes of violence and theme that some readers find desterbing. The story also deals with Femslash, Het and Slash apearing in that order. If you don't like any of those three just ignore those bits and read the story anyway.

Timeling: This is set after Ichigo saves Rukia in the Soul Society, Aizen has been caught and life is as normal as it can get in the Bleach world. Atleast until the zombies attack anyway.

A/N: I welcome both flames and reviews...I'm actually lying I only welcome reviews :)

* * *

Omaeda Marechiyo could barley stand he had gashes all over his body and his once neat shinigimi uniform was torn and blood stained. He lent heavily on his right side and looked like he could barley swing his zanpacto. The hollow he had just fought had been tough so tough that his last shot had nearly decapitated him. 

He finally gave up the fight with gravity and fell to his knees. The once clean pavement now seemed to be stained red. His vision was bleary to bleary to be a good sign. He knew he wasn't long for this world.

He didn't want to die!

He wanted to live!

There had to be a way! no, no he couldn't do what he was thinking. The spell could get him into a lot of trouble if anyone found out he had used it...but he might die...

Omaeda Marechiyo lent dangerously to the right before he toppled on to his side. He fell onto his back and his zanpakto fell form his useless fingers. He stared blankly at the sky.

He didn't want to die...

"Phoenix, wasted time repent..."

* * *

Tatsuki yawned and closed the door behind her. Why couldn't school be on in the afternoon when sane civilised people were waking up? No instead it has to be on in the god forsaken early hours of the morning.

Absently she waved to Orihime who was just exiting her apartment across the street. The gesture she had been doing every school morning for it seemed as long as she lived. So it was surprising that instead of receiving the huge enthusiastic wave she had become accustomed to Orihime looked at her awkwardly before turning and heading of to school on her own leaving Tatsuki behind.

Oh yea that's right they weren't friends anymore.

Not since she stupidly confessed her feelings to the girl two weeks ago. She didn't expect a bunch of flowers and a declaration of undying love but the cold shoulder that she was given by the other girl was not only unexpected but hurt like hell to.

She accepted Chizuru so why couldn't she do the same for her? She had never even tired to molest the other girl!

Tatsuki threw her band over her shoulder and resolutely continued on as if nothing had happed.

Nope it wasn't her heart that was lying bleeding on the floor of Orihime's apartment.

* * *

Omaeda Marechiyo couldn't believe that he was alive!

That stupid incantation had worked even without the gestures that was supposed to go with it! finally it was his turn to be lucky.

He raised his glass in high spirits and toasted the room. It was good to be alive!

Though he seemed to have come back a little differently. Humans could see him for one thing, he put this down to the fact his spirit level was so weak. This ravishing hunger was another. He sat in a standard three star sushi bar. the food was good enough to keep him here for awhile.

He was to engrossed to notice the presence sitting beside him. The woman in a red evening dress that look far to up scale for this low establishment had curly brown hair that fell down her back in waves. The toyed idly with a cock tail despite the fact the bar didn't serve any alcohol.

"I've waited a long time for an idiot like you to come along" she drawled. It seemed as if Marechiyo didn't hear her "oh yes, you should be real hungry by now."

It didn't seem to make a difference how much he ate he still felt the distant pangs of hunger gnawing at his insides.

The waiter scowled at the weirdly dressed man at the end of the counter. He had been in here sine ten eating like a pig it was now three. He better have enough money to pay for this.

"lets speed this up a little shall we?" the woman's husky voice fell on deaf ears as no one seemed to pay her any attention. She placed her hand on Marechiyo's arm.

He suddenly felt sick. Maybe it was all the food he ate. The rice ball fell from his hand as he bent over the counter. Oh god it seemed as if his insides were on fire.

The waiter noticed right away when the greedy bastard bent over the counter as if in pain. Served him right. He approached the man almost gleeful.

"Sir? sir I'm going to have to ask you to lea-ah what the hell?!" he recoiled as the man lunged at him trying to bite him.

The entire restaurant was suddenly in an uproar first people tried to help the waiter who was being mauled but at the first sign of blood the crowd scattered like gazelle at the scent of a lion. Those that tried the front doors found them mysteriously locked. Frantic, some of the men tried to use the seats to break the windows but they had become like steel refusing to even shudder.

They were all trapped.

The scarlet woman picked up her cocktail and settled in to watch the show.

* * *

This was stupid. They were both walking the same way towards home. Yet with Orihime a few feet in front she might as well have been a different country away with the way she was obviously not looking back at her.

Why couldn't she have karate class this after school today? It would have saved her the awful walk home.

Orihime rounded a corner taking her temporarily out of view. If she wanted to be mean about the other girls awkwardness at her feelings she could have made some lascivious comment about preferring to walk behind her for the 'scenery' she wasn't that bitter yet.

She just had to open her mouth didn't she? She had repressed those feelings for the last three years a little longer wouldn't have hurt. But three years ago Orihime wasn't hanging out with Ichigo and his friends, three years ago she didn't feel as if she was loosing her best friend and crush. She had told her her feelings in an effort to stay close to the other girl.

That worked out just great, she thought sarcastically.

Tatsuki the rounded the corner and instead of finding orihime at the end of the alley like she thought she found her near the centre slowly backing up.

"I-I cant understand you..." Orihime nervously put her hands out in front of her to ward of the man that was slowly lurching towards her. there was something about him that just didn't feel right.

The man wore a name tag saying Jin. His cloths were caked in mud making trying to discern what he was wearing almost impossible. Tatsuki didn't like the way he was lurching. He grabbed Orihime by the shoulders and tatski hurled her bookbag at the man before he could blink.

It seemed that her instinct to protecting Orihime hadn't dulled in the two week separation.

The man lurched back and fell down. Tatsuki grabbed the stunned Orihime's hand and dragged her away from the man as he tried to stumble into a standing position. His movements were robotic and jerky like he had forgotten how to get up.

"Stupid drunks! its the middle of the day for crying out loud!" she pulled Orihime onto the safety of the main street "what have I told you about going in alleyways alone?"

"You said never to do it at night! its still day so you can't blame me!" she tuck her tongue out at the spiky haired girl.

"Yeah...well" she had no come back and the orange haired girl grinned at her victory.

Then they both remembered. Orihime snatched her hand back like it was on fire and Tatsuki stepped back slightly hurt at the reaction. It wasn't like she was infectious.

"A-arigato Tatski-san" orihime made a hasty bow before hurrying of home.

Tatsuki sighed looking up at the sky for answers. The almighty didn't seem to be in a talkative mood so she continued on home.


	2. Chapter 2

Aoi Myukia was hurrying down the towns many lanes she was late to her job. She was Karakura high schools new substitute teacher and she wanted to make a good impression on the class that she would be taking for the next three months, due to the old teacher taking leave due to stress, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards for her today.

She really believed in The Cards but they seemed to tell her nothing good lately and she was beginning to wonder if maybe she should switch to a happier deck but today they foretold of her meeting a tall dark stranger that would change her life forever!

She might stick with this deck for a little longer.

On her third turn she found a man leaning against the wall for support. Her mother had always taught her to help those in need and while she didn't really talk to her mother she still believed in that philosophy.

Do on to others and all that.

"Sir? Sir, are you ok? Do you need any help?" she got in front of the slumped figure who had his eyes closed. His cloths were dirty and hair ragged but his face was serene and she could telling that if he were to straighten up he would be taller than her. She checked his hair colour. Black. Could this be the tall dark stranger...?

He opened his eyes and saw he for the first time. She kept screaming long after his teeth tore her throat out.

Her life was changed forever.

* * *

Ichigo sighed leaning his face against his hand staring out the window. It was mornings like these that he really missed Rukia. Then again he seemed to miss her in the afternoon and at night as well lately. At least when the teacher was late he could have counted on her to provide interesting conversation.

"My new darling is so wonderful! she bought me these new shoes!" Mizuiro said "and you wouldn't believe her other talents!"

"What?" Kiego leant forward eagerly his neck jutting out as if to get the information quicker. He was in serious danger of a nose bleed.

Ichigo turned away. It wasn't like he didn't enjoy talking about sex but listening to Mizuiro and his 'exploits' bored him especially since he had a suspicion that most of them were made up if not all. he wondered what Rukia was doing back in the Soul Society, she probably had Renji to keep her company. His eyes narrowed.

Oh yea Renji would be more than glad to keep her company. He looked around the room in an effort to distract himself. Most students were in their customary clusters. Tatsuki was the only odd thing about the room. Instead of sitting with Orihime and the other girls she was alone nearly sleeping at her desk. He noticed she didn't have her bookbag, good he wouldn't be the only one to get shouted at for not having done the home work.

It was tough being a substitute death god! so what if his home work suffered a little he was out keeping the world safe and in balance!

That's it, if the teacher couldn't be bothered to show up, why should he? He rose from his desk and picked up his bag, every eye in the room turned to him. He was just about to say something cutting when the class room door flew back with a bang. A woman stumbled in covered in blood.

No one moved.

The silence was broken as Chizuru dropped her note book. The spell was broken. The woman let out an unholy scream and lunged at the closest person which happened to be Tatsuki. She was knocked over along with her desk the woman failing widely to get at her.

Before he could react Chad had gripped the woman by the shoulders and flung her into the black bored. There was an audible crack as something inside the woman broke. She slid down the wall leaving a red trail behind her. The woman's eyes were ice blue the girls screamed as she blinked and tried to move. The entire class went into a frenzy trying to get out of the room. Chizuru reached the door first only to scream as a student in a bloody uniform grabbed her taking her down to the ground. More students in bloody uniforms poured into the room and Ichigo threw his chair at them to at least slow them down. It was ineffective.

What the hell was going on?!

He threw his bookbag at one lurching student and Tatsuki who seemed to have recovered from her attack shoved her desk into the legs of another. All around him students were taking up make shift weapons and trying to fend of the attackers.

The inhuman wails started to become more frequent and he saw many of his class mates get dragged down by the creatures. One student finally remembered the windows. He was just glad they had class on the first floor this year. He round house kicked one of the students trying to bite him and jumped on the window ledge. Everywhere students were either being bitten or surging past him to freedom of the windows.

Chad had taken it upon him self to use the teachers desk as a sort of shield allowing a group of students to escape through the windows. Tatsuki and Orihime were using the piled up text books as ammunition to keep the ravenous students at bay as they slowly made their way towards the windows.

He had to do something to help! he quickly jumped out the window and he didn't have time to put his body in a some what safe place. He quickly changed into his shinigami form.

He let out a blood curling yell as he re-entered the class. Only Chad, Tatsuki and Orihime were left. They seemed to be having trouble as the creatures surrounded them now. He let his sword rise and fall carving out a path to them.

"Chad you lead I'll hold them back!" he called to them just as Chad swung his massive arm clearing any to of the bigger students.

Slowly they made their way to the windows. His arm was starting to burn from the wide swinging he was doing. There just seemed to be so much of them no matter how many he cut they surged forward as if unaffected by his blade.

God he didn't even know that this many people went to his school!

When they finally reached the windows he breathed a sigh of relief. He looked over his shoulder to see Chad jumping out, he was the last. Ichigo cried out as one of the students took advantage of his concentration and lunged forward sinking his teeth into his arm.

There was stinging pain then darkness.

Chad shut the windows forcefully as Ichigo disappeared. It was unusually for him to do so but he didn't think he was in much trouble. Ichigo could take care of himself very well.

"Sado-kun, over here!" Ishida was standing with Ichigo one of his arms were pulled around the slim boys shoulders in support. Ichigo appeared to be breathing but was making no further signs of life. He quickly crossed the distance between them and slung Ichigo over his back. The boy was very light to him.

"Ishida-kun how did you escape?" Orihime said.

"I was in crafts class when the teacher attacked me, I thought she was just over reacting as she is very temperamental and we often have disagreements over 17th centaury French ruffles compared to 18th centaury English..." Ishida trailed of a little embarrassed he knew he was the only one that found past fashion of any interest "…anyway my class and I managed to escape down the fire escape and I came looking for you guys." he actually came to see if Sado was alright but they didn't need to know that.

"What shall we do now?" Chad's voice rumbled as he cast an uneasy glance towards the school windows, so far those creatures hadn't figured out how to get past the glass. He had a bad feeling it wouldn't be long before they did.

"hhmmm" Ishida pushed his glasses up his nose before he answered "I think we should go to Urahara-san he may know what's going on and how to wake Ichigo up."

"What happened to him anyway?" Orihime asked.

He just shrugged Ichigo hitched up his shoulders as he did so.

"Well what ever we're going to do we better do it now" Tatsuki was also looking at the students now hammering on the glass.

They all nodded before taking of at a jog towards Urahara's shop.

* * *

"I'm telling you this years World Cup will be the best ever!"

"But Karin I don't like soccer."

"It doesn't matter! its the World Cu-" she stopped speaking as she pushed her way into the surgery. They had wanted to see their dad before going into the house as they wanted to see if he wanted anything special for dinner.

"What happened here?" said Yuzu

"Dad! dad, are you in here?" she cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled into the torn surgery. The place looked like it had played host to wild rhinos. The plastic chairs were ripped from the wielded base, the beds were over turned, linen was in shreds and the curtains were hanging on only with luck.

There was some rattling in the back.

"Yuzu, you stay here I'll go check it out" she went forward cautiously leaving Yuzu who was hugging herself by the door. Where the hell was Ichigo when you needed him?! She peered around the door to her dads office, this place hadn't been spared either. Paper littered the floor like carpet, the desk was over turned and the swivel chair her dad loved was swivelling sadly.

"Dad?" she saw the figure behind the desk jerk up at the sound of her voice. It had previously been bent over something and when it turned she saw it was Miss Kuga their next door neighbour. Her father snarled at her with inhuman blue eyes. A part of her that was all instinct recognised the danger in the stronger predator. She slammed the door and ran back towards the waiting room.

"Run, Yuzu, run!" she yelled pushing her little body to cover the distance in record time. The door to the office burst open in a hail of splinters as she grabbed her sisters hands dragging her outside. She could never out run her father the best of times but fear gave her new strength.

They made it out into the street and were about half way down when she looked over her shoulder startled to see their father only a few feet behind them. Damn him and his unhealthy obsession with fitness!

"Karin why is dad covered in blood?" it was a strange sight as he was a doctor but to Yuzu he seemed crazy howling as he chased them.

"Just-keep-running" she puffed but her arm was yanked and she looked her dad had latched onto Yuzu's back his weight bearing her to the ground. She might have screamed in fright but it was Yuzu's pale face wordless in her terror that stopped her running off like her brain was telling her to.

She give one mighty kick to dislodge their father and didn't even revel in the fact she had managed to his him. Usually he was to fast or blocked, but this wasn't the same man. She knew what she had to do. She help Yuzu get up and pushed her behind her.

"Run, Yuzu!" when it looked like she wasn't going to go she pushed her hard making her stumble "you run and get Ichigo!" she knew her big brother wouldn't come in time to save her but it was the only way she could get Yuzu to run.

She turned around hoping that the other girl did what she was told for once. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably so she balled them into fists. She had to slow him down long enough for her sister to escape. Her father had gotten to his feet and made to dive past her but she barrelled into his mid-section and the both tumbled to the ground. She wasn't as good at karate as Ichigo but she did know how to put on one of the best figure four leg locks in the whole of Karakura town.

Her father twisted in the lock frustrated at being unable to give chase to the blonde girl running away. He let out an inhuman howl as he turned round to face the her. She gripped the leg as hard as she could but he started to twist away from her. There was the sound of flesh tearing as the eldest Kurosaki ripped his own leg of to get at his daughter. Blood oozed sluggishly from the would and onto her hands her grip on the leg tightened reflectively hugging it like a teddy bare as her father leapt on her his entire weight smothering her. She saw his face up close and the feral animal expression had her screaming long before he sunk his teeth into her head with enough force that he cracked her skull and ripped off half of her forehead.


	3. Chapter 3

"Where did all these people come from!?" Tatsuki cried running full speed behind the others. What had started of as a jog escalated into a sprint as the sound of breaking glass released all the crazed students who decided to chase them. They seemed to be every where as the further into town they got the crowd chasing them grew. The only reason they lasted so long was because of the lumbering pace of the students but what they lacked in speed they made up for in numbers as twice already they found the way ahead block by crazed citizens.

"Don't worry we're nearly there!" Ishida shouted back. Up ahead was a sturdy looking green gate that proudly displayed in yellow paint 'Urahara's wonderful shop" with sunflowers either side of the arching writing. Chad reached the gate first despite carrying Ichigo's dead weight. Orihime and Ishida followed and she had to dive to avoid getting locked out as the gate was forcefully slammed shut.

"Look for the lock!" Ishida ordered them.

"Up there can you get it Chad?" Orihime pointed to the top right of the gate. The lock was high enough to make even Chad stretch to reach it.

There was a huge bang as the gate almost flew off its hinges. Chad dropped Ichigo and braced the gate "get into the shop, hurry!" he groaned as there was another surge at the gate.

She grabbed Ichigo's feet and Ishida grabbed his shoulders as they hurried towards the shop. They looked like the ambulance crew from the western cartoons Orihime thought. They disappeared inside.

There was another surge at the gate it had enough force that he skidded forwards. He frantically scrambled back to secure the gate but the lock and top hinge had been broken and bloody hands with ripped finger nails started to appear in the gaps groping the air in search of him. This time his strength wasn't enough.

He looked at the distance between him and the shop. The yard was big but he might make it. The shop however was made of paper so the creatures would easily rip through it and to every one inside. He couldn't let that happen, resolved he straightened up and thrust back against the door severing several of the reaching hands.

He would hold.

"Chad-san, you may run now" Ururu was on the roof of the shop holding a giant gun that easily dwarfed her. She fired and what seemed to be a green ball sailed through the sky over the gate "you may want to run very fast now."

He pushed of the gate and ran as fast as he could. Despite his speed he could still feel the whoosh of air as the grenade went off. Bits of body shrapnel flew past him as he barrelled his way past Urahara and into the shop.

Urahara tipped his hat up as he watched the bodies that were still capable of movement surge forward through his gate. Calmly he lent back so he could call into the shop "oh Yoru-chan could you come out here a second?"

There was some shuffling before Yoruichi still half asleep walked out onto the shop front "what you want buck-oh hell!" she took in the mass that was converging on the house. Why did she have to come here? She could be sunning herself in Brazil but noooo she decided to visit her friend.

Together they yelled "Shield Protection no.12!" and thrust their hands down ward as a silver barrier sprung up around the paper shop.

"What the hell are they doing here Kisuke?!" she rounded on the man that fashion forgot.

He only shrugged smiling lazily and re-entered the shop.

"ahh Ichigo glad to see your awake" Urahara loomed over him.

He shot up startled "what the hell are you doing lurking over a guy like that?!" he yelled at the older man. God bucket-hat guy was creepy. He was suddenly tackled backwards.

"Oh Ichigo-kun I'm so happy your ok" Orihime's voice was slightly muffled by his chest. Why wouldn't he be ok? what...

oh yea...those creatures...the school...

"what the hell is going on?!" he pushed Orihime to one side as he stood up. They were all in the training room under the shop.

"Well grouchy we were just going to explain when you started to mumble 'Rukia oh Rukia'" Urahara swayed from side to side hearts in his eyes as he dramatically re-enacted Ichigo's sleeping thoughts.

He could feel his face turn red "shut up!" he really hated that guy. He took one of the vacant spaces at a long table and folded his arms huffily. He thought he had stopped mumbling in his sleep.

"Ichigo your arm!" Orihime grabbed his left arm where a terrible bite mark was. The wound was inflamed and oozing.

"Oh yeah one of those things bit me but I was in my shinigami form so I didn't think it would transfer to my human body as well" he poked at the wound more interested than he felt he ought to be at the new hole in his body.

"One of those things bit you?" the voice something come from the table so he looked up to find Yoruichi standing beside the table arms crossed. Her face was unusually serious.

"Yeah what are they?" he asked the purple haired woman.

"They are zombies" Urahara had reclaimed his seat at the top of the table. The school kids let out various noises of disbelief.

"Not the George Romero kind, more like the biblical end of days kind" Yoruichi explained "you see, every religion has some grain of truth to it unfortunately for us the Christians happen to be right about this, sort of" Yoruichi looking steadily into the worried faces around the table, she could see that they were slowly starting to believe her.

"The last time this happened it was so long ago that I was still alive," she wore a small sad smile, that was a long time ago "I was six years old when an idiot shinigami misused this spell, zombies over ran all of Israel, my father locked us in the house for days before he the zombies finally broke through to the front room." she didn't remember much from her human years but she could never forget the animalistic wailing "he killed my mother and then me before stabbing himself, so I wasn't there to see how it was stopped first hand."

She didn't blame her father because anything was better than becoming one of those monsters. "A few days later a man sacrificed himself to save those left remaining, he freed all the captured souls and the world forgot what happened. But we, the ones who seen it first hand, never did."

"You see," Urahara picked up the story for his friend as she lapsed into silence, he knew she hated revisiting the past "the reason the zombies came about was because of a spell. The spell is called Judgement and was only taught to the noble houses of the Soul Society. It resurrects a dead shinigami for a day, it was used to take care of unfinished business like appointing a new heir. The spell should never be cast on the caster," he saw the puzzled looks on the children's faces "meaning, if you cast the spell you should never cast it on yourself because after twenty four hours the spell doesn't die like it's suppose to, it continues to feed on your spirit energy and you turn into a zombie. After that incident it was decreed to only be used in cases of dire emergency."

"What happens to those that are...turned?" Ishida asked, he was half fearing the answer.

"A zombie is a body filled with the instinct to hunt, nothing more. These zombies hunt humans, they are attracted to those with high spirit energy as they consume souls to feed their master, the caster. The last time this happened was the first so the Gotei 13 didn't know what it was up against and since shinigami are just high powered souls they were even more vulnerable to the creatures than humans, as humans can survive hours when bitten while shinigami disappear right away" Urahara took a deep breath, whew that was a lot to get out al in one breath!

"But Ichigo was bitten!" Orihime held up Ichigo's injured arm in case no one believed her.

Ichigo snatched his arm away as Urahara explained "well Ichigo isn't a regular human or shinigami maybe it takes more than one bite to effect him" he didn't even think immune, no one could be immune to those things. Then again Ichigo loved to do the impossible.

"Who do you think cast the spell?" Ichigo's voice was quite and serious. He didn't really care about his health as long as he had strength to swing his sword.

"the spell was eventually banned" he glanced over at his friend, she was the main force behind banning the spell.

"There are only three people alive today that know that spell," Yoruichi had recovered from her trip down memory lane, but how she really hated the past, it was to full of things she couldn't change, "Yamamoto, myself... and Soi Fong" she had been unwilling to say her name. She didn't want to believe her capable of something like this.

Secretly she was praying the old man had finally crack and decided to end the world.

"Do you think Fong did it to get back at you for screwing with her?" Urahara's cane slammed down on Jinta's head quite cheerfully. Yoruichi glanced of to the side, she didn't want to believe that.

"Whatever the cause, how do we stop this?" Ichigo broke in and diffused a possible tense discussion.

"The easiest way to stop it is by killing the caster with a special zanpaku-to and before you ask Ichigo its in the Soul Society." Yoruichi continued but she was already making plans.

"How do we stop them?" Orihime had timidly raised her had to get attention. She usually didn't like speaking out when Ichigo looked ready to burst.

"Decapitation works. Now that we have guns in this centaury the playing field seems more level than last time" she knew her grin was wicked looking but she had waited many, many years for revenge.

"Fire to don't forget that!" Urahara chipped in, he made excited hand gestures mining an explosion. The people at the table ignored him.

"I don't think there would be enough bullets to Handel that many zombies" Ishida broke in on Urahara's 'handy' explanation on explosions.

"There were a lot of them weren't there?" Ichigo's face was drawn together in a frown before he suddenly bolted upright and ran for the stairs "Yuzu, Karin!"

Everyone at the table moved to follow but were stopped by Urahara "if we go out in full force we'll bring the entire zombie population down on his home. Ichigo by himself wont attract as many despite his formidable amount of energy" but he nodded to Tessai who left to follow the boy.

At least Ichigo had enough presence of mind to leave his body behind in the shop Tessai thought as he reach the first floor.

"And now," Urahara cried jubilantly "we get guns!"

Orihime wasn't the only one who sweat dropped at the thought of that mad man with a fire arm.

"We'll have to practice first, Yuro-chan and Ururu are the only one's with any experience with them so that's" he made a show out of counting them all "five! five guns. Ishida-kun you can of course use your bow."

"Actually Urahara-san that will be six guns" Ishida said quietly pushing up his glasses.

"but your bow-" Urahara's face was exaggerated in his confusion.

"six" he said quite firmly.

"six!" Urahara agreed cheerfully "Yoruichi-chan can you help me pleeease?" his voice had a sing song quality to it as he skipped of in the direction of the shop "Jinta, Ururu set up the targets!"

"THAT'S IT! I've had it, you people are crazy! all this talk of magic, zombies and guns!" Tatsuki had had enough. her tolerance level had been crossed and there was no way you could expect her to believe this crap. "and how the hell does your basement have a sky?!"

"Orihime-chan why don't you explain to your friend while we go and get the equipment" it wasn't a suggestion as Yoruichi was already walking away.

They were in one of the small private storage areas. Urahara kept the guns and other potentially lethal weapons here under the best locks he could make.

"Far left corner, small box to your left" he nodded to Yoruichi who let out a girlish squeal and dashed of to retrieve her box.

He rolled his eye good naturedly just wishing someone else heard the squeal as no one would believe him if he told them Yoruichi could be extremely girly when the situation called for it. He walked to further into the store room, it was really just a room filled with lots of shelves and non descriptive boxes. He opened a waist height chest. Neatly stacked on top of one another where small hand guns of varying makes. The bigger boxes beside them were filled with ammo for the guns. He turned away and opened some of the bigger crates the inside was filled with disassembled AK-47s.

"Hello babies, mommy missed you" Yoruichi was cuddling her guns "did you miss mommy?"

He laughed, only his Yuro-chan would get maternal about killing instruments. Though he bet she was just projecting her feelings for her absent zanpaku-to onto the guns he made her. It wasn't right for a shinigami to be without their sword. He shook his head to clear his thoughts after all he was the reason she was swordless. He started to assemble an AK when her hand covered his.

"I am not giving a bunch of teenagers AK-47s," she raised her eyebrow at her friends choice "we're trying to save the world not help destroy it" sometimes he scared her by his lack of sense.

He conceded the point and put the firearm back half assembled. Despite his vast collection of guns he really didn't care for the things. He only had so many because he went on a whim once and decided to see if he could improve them. He succeeded of course and the fruits of his labour lay on the holsters and Yoruichi's hip. He never really got around to the big guns loosing interest before he could but he was sure he had a bazooka around here some where.

Though he doubted Yoruichi would let him use it this early. Sometimes she could be such a party-pooper.

"Can we at least give Chad one, he would look so good with an AK!" he giggled at the image.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes "no, we can give him a nice 9mm" he once again conceded the point.

"Oh, but we have to give Ishida a magnum, oh if only I had a colt he could be a real cowboy!" he was starting to have fun with this but frowned "what about Orihime? and the human girl?"

"Orihime can have one of those nice Berettas and the other one..." she didn't know the other girls ability so didn't want to give her something to powerful but didn't want to throw her to the zombies defenceless either "give her a glock" it was a respectable gun.

After all the guns were sorted play time was over, he turned to Yoruichi face unusually serious "he was bit by one of those things"

"I know" she replied grimly.

"why is he still standing?" by all rights he should either have disappeared or became a zombie.

"Maybe the effect has been delayed, or" she locked eyes with her long time friend "maybe that darkness inside him is keeping it at bay."

They both knew Ichigo was not a normal human/shinigami hybrid there was something else inside him. something dark, something that if it ever took full control could wreak unimaginable horror on the world.

"I'll keep an eye on him" he said but what he meant was 'I'll be the one to shoot him if it comes to that' she wasn't going to question her friends weird mentor bond with the boy, after all she had no room to comment on twisted mentor bonds.

"What about Ishida's decision to take a gun?" he asked her. She just shrugged, they both had sensed the drop in spirit force in the boy they just didn't know the reason.

"Lets get back Jinta and Ururu probably have the targets set up by now" she picked up the guns and left the storage room. Urahara paused long enough to put his smile back into place before following her out.


	4. Chapter 4

Ichigo was running as fast as he could over the rooftops towards home. He landed at the back of his house with enough force that he made a small indent in the pact earth of his backyard.

"Karin! Yuzu!" he called running into the family home.

The actual house itself was just as he left it that morning. The table was empty and the breakfast dishes were still in the sink so he knew where ever Karin and Yuzu were they never made it home. Just to be sure he checked the rest of the house. Their bedrooms were still empty as was his fathers. He even checked his own room encase they hide there for some reason. He paused by his closet.

"I wish you were still here" he felt the bedding Rukia once used. It still smelt of her, he never opened it since she left, he just couldn't. He had never felt more alone than right now.

He jerked away from the closet as he swore he heard a noise coming from under his bed. Ducking down quickly he screamed in a manly fashion as something latched onto his face.

"Oh Ichigo! I waited and waited, it was horrible all the wailing!" he pried the thing of his face to see Kon crying streams of tears "oh I never felt so scared!"

"Kon have you seen my family?" he demanded.

The stuffed toy looked like he didn't know how to tell him something "there was screaming… from the surgery earlier."

He tossed the toy aside and started to run, in his haste he hit the door frame of his bedroom but barley noticed. please let them be ok, please let them be ok, please let them be ok.

He halted his mantra as he took in the devastation of the once pristine surgery. He stood their in a daze just trying to take every thing in. He found blood on the floor and followed it to his fathers office. The door was broken and small splinters were scattered all over the floor. He took a deep breath before rushing into the room. He saw half a body but the broken desk was blocking the torso.

"Daddy?" he didn't like how small and child like his voice was.

He scrambled back after seeing the face of his next door neighbour. He thought he was going to throw up, her entire rib cage way missing and her intestines had been pulled out to lie beside her on the paper strewn floor.

But it wasn't his dad, he might still be ok.

He made it out into the front street before he started to empty his stomach. His immanent relief was dashed as he saw further down the street the form of his father dazedly crawling around in a circle a leg missing.

"Daddy?" his voice sounded choked to his own ears. He walked dazedly closer, the inhuman wail coming form his father made his ears want to bleed.

The eldest Kurosaki looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps, his inhuman blue eyes lighted up with a devilish hunger at the sight of the boy walking towards him. Ichigo watched as his father started to crawl a good deal faster than he was previously doing. His lumbering lurching movements would have been menacing if it was for the fact the loss was swallowing Ichigo whole at the moment.

It might have been possible that if Isshin had gotten close enough to his son to bite he would have eaten him from the ankles up like a lumber jack felling a tree because Ichigo at that exact moment couldn't move, could barely breath with the pain. As it was the zombie stood no chance against a pump action shot gun.

He watched as his fathers head erupted like a burst balloon. He flinched backwards as the blood hit his face and turned to see Tessai behind him with Kon on his shoulders gun still smoking.

"Yaro!" he punched Urahara's lackey hard enough to bust his lip but the big man didn't even flinch. He hit him repeatedly on the chest and arms but the man stood silently taking all his frustrated hits "you killed him! you killed him!" he was pushed forcefully away and onto his butt.

"With all due respect Kurosaki-sama your father was already dead" he still remained calm and unruffled and Ichigo recognised that he wouldn't get a response that would make him feel better from the big man so he rounded on the pod soul on his shoulder.

"And you?! where were you?! your supposed to be a fighter dammit!" he shot to his feet arm thrusting out at the cowering teddy "you were too busy hiding under the bed to help them, you chicken shit!"

He couldn't continue his tirade as something landed on his back with enough force to double him over. Luckily for him the thing shot over his head and landed between the two men.

"Karin..." he breathed seeing his little sister with a bit of her skull missing, she looked up at him with hungry blue eyes "no! don't shoot!" he was beside Tessai before he could blink and grabbed the barrel of the gun pushing in away from his sister.

"Kurosaki-sama there is no way to change them back you must let me-"

"-I know but she shouldn't have a stranger do it" he owed her that much at least. He pulled his sword from his back just as the small body pulled herself back up from the ground ready for another attack. His sword arched in a downwards sweeping arch moonlight glistening on the blade as it cut straight through the decaying flesh of his little sister with no trouble. There was a clang as he let the sword continue its descent not having strength enough to stop its fall. Karin's body fell lifeless to the ground.

"Ichigo-" Kon tried to reach out to the boy but he slapped him away.

"Don't" he started back towards the shop he honestly didn't think he could take seeing his Yuzu like that, she was just to sweet.

Silently Tessai and Kon followed Ichigo his bloody sword trailing behind him sadly.


	5. Chapter 5

Yoruichi and Urahara were off to the side of the training field making plans when Tessai came back into the room. Kon jumped of his shoulders and ran to Orihime who despite being startled clutched him back just as desperately as he clutched her.

"Well?" Urahara said quietly.

"The boys father and sister Karin are dead. The other is presumed to be a zombie" the big man reported sadly.

"Poor Ichigo," Yoruichi sighed, she felt for the boy she really did.

"Where's Ichigo-kun?" it was Chad who finally had the courage to ask.

"It's not good news, I'm afraid" she told them the news and watched as Orihime fell to her knee hugging the distressed Kon. It wasn't long before she to succumbed to tears herself. Tatsuki hovered behind her unsure if her comfort was welcomed and Chad and Ishida both stared of to the side lost in their own thoughts. As far as she knew none of the children had any family to lose.

That in it's self was very sad.

"Then we get better," Ishida turned and went back to shooting his dummy which was a rock with a circle drawn at average head height "for Ichigo."

"For Ichigo" Chad to turned back to his practice.

She left the children to their own mourning rituals and turning she said to Urahara "I'll go through the gate, find the silver sword and see if Soi Fong is really behind this."

"You won't mind if I don't see you of, I want to check on the boy," he gazed at the door of the training room only allowing his face to show a little concern.

"No go ahead, I might be sometime, I'll try and come back with help" she turned and walked in the direction of the gate that would take her to the Soul Society.

He stared out at the yard, there where still some zombies milling about aimlessly a few of the more observant ones sensed him watching them and were mindlessly walking into the barrier despite being repeatedly repelled.

He wanted to kill every last one of them.

He didn't turn from his watch as he felt Urahara come up behind him. He didn't resist as he was gently guided into a sitting position the old man sat across from him with a bowl of water and a rag. He preferred to look at the steam from the bowl which gently curled in the air rather than at the eyes he knew would try and compelled him to talk. He didn't want to talk he wanted to go out there and slay every last one of those creatures!

His hands were taken and his grip on his zanpakuto was loosened. He looked at the blood on the blade and couldn't help but feel betrayed at the sight of it. The feeling was totally irrational as it wasn't as if the sword had murdered his sister by its own free will, he was the one who wielded it. He knew that but he couldn't stop feeling that way. It was better than the aching pain he felt.

He was broken.

His left hand was cradled gently in Urahara's slightly bigger one as the wash cloth wiped the sweat and grime of the day away. The soft repetitive motion was starting to sooth his troubled thoughts so he let it continue as Urahara reached for his right.

There was blood on his right. Not his but hers. On his right hand he had Karin's blood and on his face he had his fathers. He gritted his teeth, he would not cry in front of bucket-hat!

Urahara continued to wipe Ichigo's face and made no mention of the tears that were running unbidden down his cheeks. They silently sat together the sounds of the zombies wailing drowned out by the even louder sound of loss.

If only he could wipe away the day as well as the blood.

She made it into the Soul Society without any trouble. She doubted there was a place built that could keep her out in she wanted in. Her plan was to go straight to the old man tell him what was going on, get the sword maybe some help and then back before she could be missed.

That was all throw out the window as she caught sight of Soi Fong. She was walking in the gardens alone. Her girl always seemed to be alone now. She crept up behind the captain just to have a look. She knew by her presence here that Soi Fong wasn't the caster which was good, but at that moment she really couldn't care less if she tried. She watched as Soi sat own on the grass as if to meditate.

"I swear if I have to get up, you will be in a lot of pain" the captains head turned slightly towards her hiding place and she grinned despite getting caught. She must be getting old if she was noticed so quickly. She held her hands up and walked out from behind the tree she had been using to conceal herself.

"Please don't get up on my account" she smiled at the sitting woman, who glared at her. It was one thing to put aside her animosity to help save the Soul Society but she didn't think Soi would do it again in a hurry.

"You might still be in a lot of pain yet, Yoruichi-sama" Soi gracefully got to her feet all thoughts of mediation blown from her mind at the presence of the stray.

"Do you hate me that much Soi?" she was back on topic now no more being distracted by the other woman's presence.

"What are you prattling about now?" she said was honestly tired of her mentor. She couldn't take her coming and going so easily not taking the time to think of the people she hurt along the way.

"The Judgement spell, who did you teach it to?" it wasn't her and she doubted it would be the old man so it must have been Soi. Still she was ready to forgive her even that. Soi may have plunge the world into hell but still she would forgive her. She was defiantly going soft in her old age.

"Baka! why would I teach it to anyone?! It is forbidden to even speak of it," she glanced around to make sure they were alone "do you take me for that big of a fool?"

"Its been cast in the human world, zombies are everywhere" for a moment terror shone in Soi's face and she made as if to reach out towards Yoruichi as she remember how she was affected the last time this happened. She remembered herself at the last moment and stopped.

"The human world isn't the only one with problems, Yoruichi" she turned away.

"What do you mean?" crap if the Soul Society had problems it may not be able to help.

"My vice captain has disappeared," he was last seen in the district 50 which was renown as a neutral zone as it was the divider between the rich and poor parts of the Soul Society. She started to walk away but she was grabbed and halted at the last second.

"how long ago?" an idea had come to her and she wanted to see if it could be true.

"A week."

The time fit "is it possible that he knew the Judgment technique?" she pulled Soi around to face her tired of looking at her back.

"No I told you I didn't teach it to anyone. I haven't even did it myself sin-" her irritated voice trailed of. Her vice captain was an idiot but more than that he was a pervy idiot. She had gotten numerous complaints from the Shinigami woman's circle about him but it didn't matter how many times she beat the oaf he still slid off to lurk in bushes. "When I was trying to create a new form I tried to incorporate the Judgement technique it is possible that he may have seen me." When she was trying to find a weapon in which to kill her former master. She had been humiliated to find out that not only did Yoruichi know the technique but also that she herself had mastered it.

"Soi..." her voice was soft and all she wanted was to take the smaller woman in her arms. I'm sorry she wanted to say but knew if Soi heard her they would end up fighting again. I'm so sorry that I left you, that I made you hate me enough that you felt you needed to use the judgment spell to get back at me. Despite her not saying anything Soi could read it all in her eyes. She turned away from her former mentor because she knew if Yoruichi kept looking at her like that she would forgive the other woman and she wasn't ready to lose the hate and anger that had accompanied her and kept her going the last hundred years when she was left behind.

"Come on if we're right Yamamoto needs to hear about this" she swept away towards the old mans office her captains robes flaring behind her. Yoruichi smiled at her back, she had never told Soi that seeing her drowned in her captains robes made her look like a little girl playing dress up, and if she wanted to keep living she never would. She followed behind her protégée.

* * *

I'd like to thank all those that reviewed it actually got me to post this chapter up as the story had fallen to the side due to my sudden love of Mai HiME and need to write about Haruka/Yukino, seeing the reviews reminded me that I needed to post a new chapter. Thanks again!

I'd also like to apologise for the many different spelling of zanpakuto first I wasn't sure of the spelling because there were so many and then I didn't realise that I spelt it differently almost all the times I used it ::sweat drop::: but I've settled on a spelling now!


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